Categorizes of Crime
A minor offense.
Ex: Jaywalking, Drinking in public, Indecent Exposure.
What is an Infraction?
Crime that brings harm to others and society.
What is Criminal Law?
(Ex: Murder, Robbery, Rape)
The rule that a society must be governed by principles and codes which are fair to all.
What is the Rule of Law?
A system of rules, as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.
What is Law?
The legal defense of admitting to committing an act, but declaring it as necessary?
What is Justification?
A criminal offense that is punishable by prison time, or even death.
What is a Felony?
Body of law originating from usage and custom rather from written Statutes.
What is Common Law?
(Ex: Informed Consent, Right of Refusal)
The written, organized, and compiled form of the criminal laws of a jurisdiction.
Law serves a guide for?
People's behavior
The legal defense that a condition during the time of the crime allows them not to be held accountable.
What is an Excuse?
A crime punishable by jail time or a large fine. Commonly less than a year.
What is a Misdemeanor?
Written Laws
(Ex: Traffic Laws)
What is Statutory Law?
The philosophy, Science, and Study of Law.
Jurisprudence
Without constitutional law, what wouldn’t people be able to exercise?
The basic rights every citizen is entitled to.
A statement which claims that the defendant was distant from the crime, or doing something else during the crime.
What is an Alibi?
A crime that hasn't been fully carried out.
What is a Inchoate Offense?
Governs relationships among people.
(Ex. Contracts, Marriage, divorces)
What does due process do?
Prevents the government from taking away a person's rights. (Ex: Cheating them in Court)
Without Civil Law people would not know?
What they should expect from one another.
The legal defense that claims the defendant was in some significant way discriminated against or something was done wrong during the justice process.
Procedural Defense
An act in violation of the law.
What is Actus Reus (A Guilty Act)?
The accumulated wisdom of past courts, which can be used in present courts.
What is Case Law?
(Ex: Miranda vs Arizona)
What did Miranda v. Arizona do for law?
The police must inform a suspect of their rights before questioning.
Without Criminal Law, why would people not feel safe?
The more powerful could take from the less powerful.
The state of mind that accompanies a criminal act.
What is Mens Rea (A Guilty Mind)?